The AAO seems to visit the City by the Bay every 10 years like clockwork, having held its most recent conventions there in 1995 and 2005. This year's conference is scheduled for May 15-19. Here is JCO's annual guide to attractions, events, and restaurants in the host city.
Weather and Transportation
Average high temperatures in May are in the mid-60s, dipping down to the low 50s at night. Fog and rain are always a possibility in the city, but the climate generally becomes warmer and sunnier as you move inland.
San Francisco International Airport is laid out in a hub, with the free AirTrain monorail connecting the terminals to the parking garages and rental-car facility. Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains run from the International Terminal directly to the city, with one-way fares of $8.10-8.65. SamTrans public buses stop at terminals 2 and 3 as well as the International Terminal; fares are $2-5. Airport shuttle services, which pick up at the departure level of each terminal, cost $16-18 each way.
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The BART system (www.bart.gov) also services Oakland International Airport; other spokes run out to Richmond, Pittsburg/Bay Point, Dublin/ Pleasanton, Fremont, and Millbrae. Within the city, there are still three historic cable-car lines' Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde, and California Street-operating at fares of $5 per ride, with one-, three-, or seven-day passes also available. Visit www.sfmta.com for complete schedules of cable cars, buses, and streetcars.
A CityPASS book, $84 for adults and $64 for children age 5-11, includes discounted tickets to top attractions and unlimited cable-car rides for nine days (www.citypass.com). The Go San Francisco Card, starting at $59.99 for one-, two-, three-, five-, or seven-day periods, provides free admission to 29 attractions, as well as a mobile guidebook (www.smartdestinations.com).
Events
Golden Gate Park, established in 1871, is one of the world's greatest cultural attractions. The superb de Young Museum (closed Mondays) offers several exhibits during the AAO convention, including "Botticelli to Braque: Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Scotland", "Embodiments: Masterworks of African Figurative Sculpture", and photography by Janet Delaney. The California Academy of Sciences houses the Morrison Planetarium (featuring a show called "Habitat Earth"), Kimball Natural History Museum, and Steinhart Aquarium. While in the park, you can also visit the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden, and the San Francisco Botanical Garden.
The Legion of Honor museum (closed Mondays) in Lincoln Park, near the Golden Gate Bridge, has reopened its ornate Salon Dore from Paris's Hotel de La Tremoille after an 18-month renovation. On temporary display is the costume collection from the Brooklyn Museum. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is currently under construction but has placed several exhibits around town, including "Portraits and Other Likenesses from SFMOMA" at the Museum of the African Diaspora (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) and "Doug Hall: The Terrible Uncertainty of the Thing Described"at the San Francisco Art Institute (closed Sundays and Mondays).
The Asian Art Museum (closed Mondays) offers a showing of Indian, Persian, and Turkish textiles. You can also celebrate Asian culture on May 16 at the 10th annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration in Little Saigon.
Elsewhere, the GLBT History Museum (closed Tuesdays) features an exhibit called "Queer Past Becomes Present". The Contemporary Jewish Museum (closed Wednesdays) is offering a retrospective on bluegrass musician Warren Hellman. For a broader ethnic perspective, the San Francisco Jewish Heritage Tour departs from Union Square aboard the "Mitzvah Cable Car" at 10:55 a.m. May 17. If you're going to be sightseeing on Sunday morning, however, watch out for the annual Bay to Breakers race, which takes off from the Embarcadero and draws huge, festive crowds.
The kid-friendly Exploratorium (closed Mondays) has moved from the Palace of Fine Arts to Pier 15 on the Embarcadero. Reservations are recommended to experience the interactive Tactile Dome. For kids of all ages, the Oakland Museum of California (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) has an installation called "Sunshine and Superheroes" from the annual San Diego Comic-Con.
The Berkeley Repertory Theatre will present two plays during the convention: Tarell Alvin McCraney's "Head of Passes" and the British farce "One Man, Two Guvnors". "Shopping! The Musical" will run at 8 p.m. May 15 and 16 in the Shelton Theater.
Boldface names in this article are listed in the Directory at the end of the article with their telephone numbers and street addresses.
San Francisco’s famous Victorian “painted ladies”. Photo © Lunamarina, Dreamstime.com.
The de Young Museum is housed in Golden Gate Park. Photo © Luckydoor, Dreamstime.com.
On the classical-music scene, the first-rate San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, features violinist Janine Jansen in the Mendelssohn concerto at 2 p.m. May 14 and 8 p.m. May 15, followed by a program titled "American Maverick: John Cage" at 8 p.m. May 16. The San Francisco Youth Orchestra performs at 2 p.m. May 17. Capping the weekend at 7 p.m. May 17 is a stellar program from the Symphony Chorus: Stravinsky's Mass, Part's Te Deum, and Orff's Carmina burana. All concerts are at Davies Symphony Hall.
In a concert from the University of California's Cal Performances series, Brazilian brothers Sergio and Odair Assad will weave their guitar magic at 8 p.m. May 15 in Berkeley's First Congregational Church. Noe Valley Chamber Music closes its season with the San Francisco Piano Trio performing Dvoak, Schubert, and Shostakovich at 4 p.m. May 17 in St. Mark's Lutheran Church.
Scottish alternative-rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain celebrates the 30th anniversary of its groundbreaking Psychocandy album at 8 p.m. May 16 in the Warfield Theatre. An hour later, British indie rockers The Wombats kick off a set at San Francisco's historic The Fillmore.
The sharpshooting Golden State Warriors may still be involved in National Basketball Association playoffs at Oakland's Oracle Arena. Next door at O.co Coliseum, the Oakland's play host to the Chicago White Sox May 15-17. And the following day, the defending world champion San Francisco Giants open a three-game series against the archrival Los Angeles Dodgers at picturesque AT&T Park.
Dining
Recommendations are provided by our network of writers and wine professionals from Sommelier Journal. Classic tables with outstanding wine lists in the Financial District, near the Moscone Center, include Benu, Boulevard, Coi, Michael Mina (and its bistro sibling, RN74), Mourad, Prospect, Quince, and Saison. Right on the waterfront at the end of Market Street is the fabulously renovated Ferry Building Marketplace, a destination in itself with boutique shops and such restaurants as the Vietnamese-fusion landmark, The Slanted Door. Nearby on the Embarcadero are the Epic Roasthouse, a fine contemporary steakhouse, and La Mar Cebicheria, a Peruvian seafood restaurant.
The waterfront AT&T Park will host a three-game series between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. Photo © Eric Broder Van Dyke, Dreamstime.com.
Other Asian-fusion favorites include Han Il Kwan (Korean barbecue, near Golden Gate Park), Izakaya Rintaro (farm-to-table Japanese, Mission District), Kin Khao (Thai, Union Square), and Pink Zebra (funky Japanese, Mission District).
Italian eateries are led by A16, in the Marina district, and its more casual Pacific Heights outpost, SPQR. Rose Pistola in North Beach and Acquerello in Nob Hill are also Italian mainstays. Other notable ethnic spots include Californios (Mexican, Mission District), Les Clos (French bistro, South Beach), Piperade (Basque, Telegraph Hill), Trou Normand (charcuterie, next door to Mourad in the Financial District), and Urchin Bistrot (French bistro, Mission District).
For trendy California cuisine, try Cockscomb in South Beach, Commonwealth or Heirloom Cafe© in the Mission District, Nopa at Alamo Square, or Rich Table in Hayes Valley. The onceornate Fifth Floor in the Hotel Palomar has been converted to the "grittier" Dirty Habit, where the cocktail scene is as vibrant as it is in many San Francisco restaurants and bars these days.
If you're heading to Napa Valley for the post-convention seminars, you will find nearly as many spectacular dining options as you have in the city. Tops on our list are La Toque at the Westin Verasa in Napa; The French Laundry (reservations almost impossible, but try exactly a month ahead) and Redd in Yountville; and Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen (a local favorite), Farmstead, Press, Terra, and the three-Michelin-starred Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena.
